Project Details
Projekt
Hepatitis D Virus induced pathogenesis and interaction with the immune system (A08)
Subject Area
Virology
Term
from 2014 to 2021
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 80750187
Hepatitis D Virus infection shows the most severe clinical course, however no direct antiviral treatment is available. We want to employ animal models of HDV infection (human liver chimeric mice) and develop new immunocompetent models (humanized NTCP mice) to investigate virus-host interactions (innate and adaptive immune responses) that may be responsible for HDV-associated liver injury and the severe clinical course observed in patients. Furthermore, we want to elucidate the mechanisms accountable for the non-response of specific HDV strains to interferon-alpha therapy by analyzing evasion mechanisms in vivo and by generating mosaic viruses from interferon-resistant and -sensible HDV strains. Knowledge obtained shall contribute to the development of new antiviral strategies.
DFG Programme
Collaborative Research Centres
Applicant Institution
Universität Hamburg
Project Heads
Professorin Dr. Maura Dandri-Petersen; Dr. Marc Lütgehetmann
